upgraded to a high school and to a higher secondary in the late 1990s. There is one primary health care centre, one family welfare center, four private health dispensaries, and one government ayurveda dispensary. Research Institutions The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, a pioneering establishment, is the largest educational and research organisation in Mogral Puthur. Its predecessor, the Coconut Research Station, was set up in 1916 by the Government of Madras. In 1948, after the Indian independence, the station came under the Indian Central Coconut Committee. CPCRI was founded in 1970 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Today, the institute conducts research in various agricultural fields such as gardening, soil chemistry, plant production, microbiology, plant diseases, cattle rearing and fish culture. Flora and fauna Lush green coconut palms cover much of Mogral Puthur. There is a significant patch of mangroves in the three-kilometer stretch of estuary where Mogral River merges with the Arabian Sea. The total area of the estuary is estimated to be 6.12 square kilometer, of which 0.1 kilometer is mangrove area. Two researchers reported sighting six individual Bar-Headed Geese (Anser indicus) on fresh water near the mangroves on 26 January 2009. Bar-Headed Geese, one of the world's highest flying birds, are rarely seen in Kerala. Places of interest The historic Kavu Matha, where Madhvacharya, the founder of the Dvaita philosophy, famously debated Trivikrama Panditacharya, who was then a proponent of Advaita, is in the panchayat. The eight-day debate (circa early 14th century/late 13th century) was held in the presence of King Jayasimba of Kumbla, and after the debate, the latter embraced Dvaita philosophy and became a disciple of Madhvacharya. There are several mosques and temples across the panchayat. Kinnimani Poomani Daivastana (temple) in Bedradka, Doomavati Daivastana at Puthur Kotya and the Chowki, Eriyal, Kottakkunnu and Mogral Puthur jamma masjids are prominent among them. References Suburbs of Kasaragod